Mōtsū-ji Temple

• Iwate
• Sightseeing
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Mōtsū-ji Temple, located in Hiraizumi Town, Iwate Prefecture, is a Tendai sect temple and, like Chūson-ji, is a component of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land."It was originally built by Motohira, the second lord of the Ōshū Fujiwara clan. Although the buildings have since been lost to fire, a vast site of the former temple complex remains. The biggest highlight is the Jōdo Garden (Pure Land Garden), which conveys the gardening style of the Heian period. The garden centered around Ōizumi-ga-ike Pond exudes an elegant and tranquil atmosphere, representing the Buddhist paradise (Pure Land) of that time.An elegant Kyokusui no En (Winding Stream Party) is held here annually on May $4text{th}$.